Dominican Republic: economy grew 4.6% in January-September and will close 2026 at 4.5%, says the Central Bank

Santo Domingo — The economy of the Dominican Republic grew 4.6% between January and September this year, driven by the dynamism of domestic investment and the resilience of the external sector, the Central Bank governor Héctor Valdez Albizu reported this Friday.

During the ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of the issuing bank, Valdez Albizu projected that 2026 will close with a 4.5% expansion of the Dominican gross domestic product (GDP), "one of the highest growth rates in Latin America." The IMF's latest projections, released last week, point to growth of 4.6% in 2026, 4.4% in 2027, and 4.6% in 2028.

In September, economic activity grew 5.6% year over year, while inflation stood at 5.12%, after reaching a peak of 5.67% in June; core inflation remained within the target range, at 4.61%.

The sectors leading the January-September expansion included construction (8.2%), mining and quarrying (5.2%), local manufacturing (3.4%), free trade zones (2.8%), and services as a whole (4.6%), with financial services (7.8%) and hotels, bars, and restaurants (5.6%) standing out.

In the external sector, exports totaled $13.2 billion between January and September, tourism revenue reached $9.7 billion, and remittances exceeded $9.4 billion. Foreign direct investment rose to about $4.5 billion, and international reserves surpassed $15.2 billion.

On jobs, employment reached a total of 5,271,005 workers in the second quarter of 2026, a year-over-year increase of 2.9% — about 147,000 new jobs in twelve months.

Photo: RD Digital

Source: EFE